A night of stars

Contributed photo
Pictured is Kim Glazebrook, left, and her son Justin Paige at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles March 2.

By AMY HANSEN
OST news editor • ahansen@osceolaiowa.com

It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

That was what Kim Glazebrook of Osceola, originally of Chariton, was offered when she won a free trip for her and a guest to see the Academy Awards red carpet.

“I just wanted to go. I’ve had a thing about stars,” Glazebrook said.

Glazebrook gets People magazine in the mail, and every week there is a “treat of the week.” She said she sometimes wins little prizes like bottles of shampoo. However, there are big prizes like a trip to Los Angeles for the Academy Awards.

“I just do it every week,” Glazebrook said. “All I do is click a button and you’re entered. So, why not do it?”

Experience

Glazebrook took her son Justin Paige with her to Los Angeles. They got to sit in the bleachers all day and watch the Hollywood stars arrive. They received breakfast lunch and dinner, as well as a gift bag, which contained Pantene products, facial products, body wash, snack bars, a People cup with a straw and lid and shirts that have “Oscars” written on them.

Places were also set up for hair, makeup and massages.

While Glazebrook and her son couldn’t go inside the Academy Awards for the actual show, they went into a theater for a viewing party with the ceremony on a big screen.

The Academy Awards were March 2, and Glazebrook found out she had won the trip Jan. 27.

“It was a lot you had to go through,” she said. “They had to do a background check. You couldn’t have any felonies, any warrants … they had tight security.”

The picture on Glazebrook’s credential badge for the event is a passport photo.

The stars

Glazebrook said she saw just about everybody walk in, however, her favorite stars were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

“They were the last ones to walk in,” she said. “There were five sets of bleachers and we were right in the middle. And, we were in a good spot.”

Glazebrook said she and her son were in the bleachers right behind Robin Roberts of Good Morning America. She said a lot of people saw them in the crowd on TV.

“I said to Justin, it’s different than on TV because they were all in this crowd and you’ve got to try to find them,” Glazebrook said. “… What they do is they all mingle there, and then they go walking down and there’s an announcer down at the other end. Then, he says their name, and then they walk on down the red carpet.”

There is a video of the red carpet on Glazebrook’s phone, and the sound of people screaming gets really loud when a big movie star enters the red carpet.

“People go nuts,” she said.

Since this was a once in a lifetime trip, Glazebrook and her son decided to stay in Los Angeles an extra day and paid their way back home. She said her son really enjoyed taking time to visit Venice Beach.

“I would do it again. It’s something you don’t get to do every day,” Glazebrook said.